YouTube’s most popular creator, Jimmy “MrBeast” Donaldson, has expressed concern that artificial intelligence could threaten his content empire and the careers of millions of digital creators.
In a recent post on X, formerly Twitter, Donaldson wondered what would happen to the platform “when AI videos are just as good as normal videos,” questioning how it would “impact the millions of creators currently making content for a living.” He concluded, “Scary times.”
This apprehension highlights a potential vulnerability in MrBeast’s own content, which is known for high-production, reality-defying stunts and competitions, such as “Lamborghini Vs World’s Largest Shredder.” Such larger-than-life premises are similar to the imaginative scenarios that generative AI excels at creating.
Donaldson’s comments follow the recent debut of advanced AI video generators like OpenAI’s Sora 2, which can produce short, photorealistic clips from simple text prompts. The technology has already been used to create a wide array of content, including viral parodies of public figures.
The YouTuber’s relationship with AI has been complicated. Earlier this year, he announced an AI tool designed to help creators generate the distinct, eye-catching thumbnails his channel is known for. The move sparked immediate backlash from fans and critics, who demanded he hire human artists instead.
Following the criticism, Donaldson confirmed he had stopped using the AI tool and began commissioning human digital artists, admitting he “definitely missed the mark,” though he stopped short of a full apology. His newfound concern over AI’s impact on creators suggests a shift in perspective, coming only after the technology began to pose a potential threat to his own business model.
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